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Good morning. It's Wednesday the 25th of February, and this is the Brussels Playbook podcast.

Today Europe wakes up after a show of solidarity in Ukraine, marking four years since Russia's full-scale invasion.

We stand in Kiev on a grim anniversary, but even in the face of this terror, the resilience

of the Ukrainian people remains undimmed.

Europe has stood with us throughout these difficult years and our people trust Europe.

They know we are not alone.

You can rely on the European Union. We will be on your side for as long as it takes.

That was Ursula von der Leyen, Vladomir Zelensky and Antonio Costa, speaking at a joint press

conference in Kiev yesterday. The images projected unity, despite the grim reality that von der Leyen described there.

But without significant American, British and French presence, the day was also tinned with some disappointment.

Back in Brussels, the politics stayed complicated, Hungary and Slovakia continuing to test just how united the EU really is

when it's trying to get

alone to Ukraine and additional sanctions on the Kremlin. I'm Ian Wishart, Politico's senior

EU politics editor. My colleague Zoya Shepdilovic has been on the ground in Kiev,

accompanying the European leaders throughout the anniversary events. Zoya's had a whirlwind 24 hours there in the country of her birth.

I caught up with her yesterday evening just before she caught the train back.

So Zoya, you were there as the leaders gathered in Keeve. How was it?

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